Norwegian chemical and industrial gas group Yara and VNG are planning to sign a letter of intent to produce hydrogen from ammonia.
Yara, the world market leader in ammonia trading, will deliver the toxic chemical to the seaport, where it will be broken down into its components using an ammonia cracker. The cracker separates nitrogen and the energy carrier hydrogen, which VNG will then sell to its customers. The aim is to use the ammonia to produce green hydrogen, a key component of the renewable energy transition.
Ammonia, while toxic in its natural state, has the potential to be a valuable source of green hydrogen. It is a nitrogen and hydrogen compound, with hydrogen accounting for approximately 17% of its weight. Using ammonia as a source of hydrogen is one way to reduce the costs of producing and transporting the fuel, making it more accessible and affordable to consumers. Additionally, ammonia can be produced from renewable sources of energy, such as solar or wind power, making the production of hydrogen from ammonia an environmentally friendly process.
The partnership between Yara and VNG is part of a larger trend towards using ammonia as a source of hydrogen. Other companies, such as Japan’s Kawasaki Heavy Industries, have also developed ammonia cracking technologies that separate hydrogen from nitrogen. The technology has been identified as a key part of the future hydrogen economy, which aims to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy sources.
However, there are potential challenges to using ammonia as a source of hydrogen. One challenge is the transportation and storage of ammonia, which requires specialized infrastructure due to its toxicity. Another challenge is the cost of producing green ammonia, which is currently higher than producing fossil fuel-based ammonia. To make the process more economically viable, it will be important to scale up production and develop more efficient technologies for producing and storing ammonia.
Despite the challenges, the use of ammonia as a source of hydrogen holds promise for the renewable energy transition. It has the potential to reduce the cost and increase the accessibility of hydrogen as a fuel source, while also supporting the use of renewable energy sources.
